John Dobson says the DHL Stormers need two wins from their remaining matches on tour in opposition to Zebre and Edinburgh to keep away from a repeat of the stumbling begin to final season. DYLAN JACK stories.
Coming off a season-opening loss to the Ospreys in Bridgend, the DHL Stormers are desperate to bounce again after they tackle Italian aspect Zebre in Parma on Saturday.
Final season noticed the Stormers return from a four-week tour winless and with a couple of shedding bonus factors within the bag, which put them underneath strain from the get-go.
Dobson mentioned on Friday that he’s desperate to keep away from that very same expertise, because the Stormers set a purpose of an eight-point return from this season’s tour.
“We mentioned from the beginning that we wished to get two wins on tour. We’ve obtained ourselves into jail. We’ve performed that card already,” Dobson mentioned.
“There’s tons within the course of that I noticed that was good final week. Our lineouts in opposition to Griquas, we misplaced eight or 9, went as much as 100% final week. The way in which the forwards carried and a number of the indicators on assault had been actually, actually good.
“It did reveal some flaws, round our exiting. Our contestable recreation hasn’t been nearly as good away over the past whereas. It’s one thing we’ve prided ourselves on. If you wish to win abroad, it’s important to win the contestable recreation, you will have to have the ability to exit and win your lineouts.
“Our purpose, if we wish to get these two wins, is to get our exits proper, have a great contestable recreation and see a bit extra energy in our maul.
“We’re going for each video games. If we don’t come residence with eight or 9 factors, we can be just a little bit upset. In some methods we’re underneath strain.
“We don’t wish to go down the journey of final 12 months’s tour, which put a knife to our throats for the remainder of the season, attempting to make up factors. It places you into your shell and we try to develop our assault a bit. Once you begin feeling that strain, you begin changing into extra conservative.
“Two wins is the purpose.”
Nonetheless, this doesn’t imply that the Stormers can be taking Zebre flippantly, particularly after the house aspect scalped 2023 champions Munster in a shocking upset final week.
“It’s a really completely different Zebre group now,” Dobson mentioned. “They’re all Italian, very younger underneath a model new coach, enjoying virtually an Irish fashion of rugby with ball in hand. There’s no baggage of the previous, they’re fearless.
“It was an distinctive efficiency in opposition to Munster. It hasn’t helped our week in a method. You go from processing the frustration of Bridgend to the realisation of the strain of this recreation.
“They’re historically one of many weaker groups, however that gained’t be the case this 12 months. They’ve a great group. I don’t see them in that class in any respect. The URC is getting extra aggressive annually.”
Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Photographs